


A Single Blue Feather

by PatchworkFelicity



Category: Asagao Academy: Normal Boots Club
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-08
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-07 02:26:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6781675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatchworkFelicity/pseuds/PatchworkFelicity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A long time ago, when Hana and PBG were kids, he gifted her a blue feather. Hana never realized the meaning behind it, but now that she's being introduced to a variety of new games, she's about to find out!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How We've Changed

I don’t know what it was about that morning in particular. 

I rose early. I brushed my teeth, combed my hair, got dressed, just like always. 

I walked with Mai towards our homeroom, stopping briefly at my locker to deposit some books and retrieve others I’d need for the day. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Even so, something caused me to pause as I caught sight of my reflection in the small mirror mounted just inside. It occurred to me that I’d never paid its presence much mind - all of the lockers possessed one - because I was never terribly interested in looking at myself.

Not that my sentiment over that had changed much, but it was as though I was noticing myself for the first time in months. Funny how the simple realization that my hair had grown so long could send me pondering. I hadn’t given that much thought either. As my unusual, cotton candy-colored locks grew, I’d simply taken to spiraling them into two braids rather than clipping them back like I use to. 

Seeing it now, I recalled how painfully self-conscious I’d once been about it. In more desperate times, I’d considered cutting it all off, or dying a more acceptable color. Yet here I was, having not spared it even so much as an errant worry at all in the past few months.

 It actually looked kind of...pretty.

It probably helped that _he_ liked it so much. How many times had PBG combed his fingers through my hair or toyed with one of the strawberry curls? Thinking back on it now, my anxiety over it almost seemed laughable, knowing that these days I often looked forward to feeling his touch upon it. It was such a simple, yet tender gesture.

I closed my locker once I’d placed the books in my backpack, returning my attention - if only partially - back to reality. I walked into homeroom, letting my eyes drift over my familiar classmates, resting momentarily with fondness upon each member of The Normal Boots Club.

It was these fellows (and Mai, of course!) who had been responsible for how different I was these days. Not only had I become more comfortable with myself, but I had truly opened up to others. The typical worries that used to plague me as they did on my first day at Asagao Academy were faint, if present at all. I felt confident, welcomed, loved…

...at home.

How could I not with the way he beamed at me almost the exact instant I walked through the door? It didn’t matter how long we’d been dating; it seemed the novelty of our relationship would never wear off. PBG always greeted me with the same adoring smile whenever we crossed paths.

I slipped my backpack off my shoulder and hung it neatly against the back of my chair before sliding into my seat. It was positioned squarely between Mai and PBG’s. Mai had always made it a point to secure a place near me, but now PBG insisted upon it as well. As soon as one school year ended and the next began we were meant to change seats to keep things fresh as well as encourage building rapport with other students. It turned out my roomie and boyfriend - gosh, that _still_ makes me feel all light on my toes - were equally good at digging their heels in when it came to getting something they _really_ wanted. Eventually, their persistence wore Miss Shizuka down, though the three of us made it a point to become almost model students after that. We knew she was just waiting for a golden opportunity to split us apart.

Especially PBG and I. She didn’t seem particularly fond of how ‘close’ we were.

“Good morning,” PBG greeted, cheerful as he turned sideways in his chair to give me his full attention.

“Good morning,” I returned, unable to keep the smile from my face.

“So, did you think about it? I mean… I don’t want to rush you, but… You know... ?” His eyebrows lifted with anticipation as he clasped his hands in front of himself.

“No…,” I replied as I set my daily supplies upon my desk. When I saw his bottom lip begin to poke out in the beginnings of what was now an infamous pout, I clarified. “Not ‘no’ no… I meant I haven’t really thought about it.”

“But you haven’t completely tossed out the idea. There’s still hope!” he said. I gave a small shrug and made a small, non-committal noise. Before I could respond further, and for that I was grateful, Miss Shizuka cleared her throat indicating that class had begun.

****

“Wow, hey, you’re right! Things have just been happening so fast I didn’t even think about it!”

“I know,” I agreed with a nod. I had just been sharing my thoughts with Mai as we made our way to the cafeteria for lunch. “Just think, not too long ago you could have been Jared’s personal cheerleader.”

“Psh,” Mai said, blowing at her bangs. “I am never gonna live that down, am I?”

“Hmm, probably not,” I teased. “You never let me live _my_ crush down.”

“Yeah, but you two are actually _together_. It’s allowed because it’s cute and still applicable.”

“Maybe. Should I be teasing you about Jirard instead?”

“Please no,” she pleaded with me, though I could already see the telltale blush reddening her features almost the same shade as her hair.

Ah, yes. That had been _another_ big change. Definitely not one anyone expected until they considered it after the fact. Mai had been so hung up on Jared for so long it was strange to think of her ever turning her affections, however feverish, on anyone else. But maybe that was why she and Jirard had eventually clicked. It was nothing at all like the fangirlish swooning I used to witness. He wasn’t someone that she was falling all over herself for, or melting into a puddle on the concrete at the thought of. But he shared her pep and vigor, her enthusiasm, and showed her a white-knight level of kindness that was difficult to ignore. Granted, their their interests didn’t always mesh, but that was hardly a deal-breaker. Their differences helped balance them both out in a way, Jirard helping Mai focus her boundless energy and Mai ensuring Jirard didn’t become _too_ absorbed in his quests for perfection.

Mai even had her own small collection of Itty Bitty Kitties developing. She’d vehemently denied her association when I’d discovered the first figure in her room, but the more she accumulated, the harder it was to deny their existence. Naturally, I suspected Jirard’s involvement almost from the get-go. He was the only other person I knew who collected the figurines and he appeared rather tickled when he announced that he was no longer the only one amid our group with an affinity for them. That was the day Mai’s secret could no longer be denied, and it seemed after that the two of them were seen together more than ever.

Mai still hadn’t quite gotten used to any of it. Maybe she was perplexed how it was that Jirard could make her blush at least as much, if not more, than Jared ever had - and with a great deal more subtlety to boot.

“Ah! You didn’t beat me!” 

PBG jogged up to flank my other side, slowing his long stride to match our pace.

I couldn’t help myself.

“Funny, I thought I beat you quite soundly. By at least 300,000 points, I think it was.”

His brow furrowed and he pursed his lips, feigning indignance as he turned his head away, chin high.

“I meant to _lunch._ And it wasn’t _that_ much! Geez, Hana, when did you get such an _ego_?” 

I giggled lightly, once more noticing a change in my own demeanor. Not to long ago I would have blanched at such teasing, wondering if he was serious about his accusation and apologizing profusely for my perceived offenses. But I knew PBG far too well these days to be fooled by his play-acting anymore, much to his relief, I’m sure.

“I _know_. Gawd,” Mai chimed in. “But that’s entirely your fault, PBG. You praise her too much.” 

“I. Regret. Nothing,” he intoned, turning a side-eye on the two of us before letting a lopsided grin cross his lips. 

Ever the gentleman, he held open the doors for us with a flourish and a bow so we could enter the cafeteria, trailing closely behind. We found our way to the usual table, settling down among the other members of The Normal Boots Club. 

Before I forgot, I hoisted my bag into my lap and began to rummage around, withdrawing a few items that I had borrowed during my trip back home to visit my father. The first was a book I had borrowed from Satch; he often recommended and loaned me novels he thought I might enjoy. The second and third were a couple of puzzle and strategy games to try on my 4DS that Jon had provided for me to practice with. And the last was a special edition Itty Bitty Kitty that Mai had promised me to pick up for Jirard when he found out there was stock available specifically at a shop in my home town. 

“Did you have a good trip?” Paul asked. “It was kind of strange not to see you around for a few days.”

“No kidding. Even though you’re normally so quiet, it’s like there was a void when you were gone,” Jirard mentioned. 

“Yeah, it was nice to see my Dad, but I will admit I missed seeing everyone here. I’ve gotten so used to hanging out with you all,” I said, happy to hear I’d been missed. 

“PBG was _insufferable_ ,” Jared hummed, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.

“Don’t exaggerate,” PBG defended.

“At least you didn’t have to _live_ with him,” Jon piped up, a devious little quirk tilting his lips. “‘Insufferable’ is hardly enough to describe it. More like f-”

“Nanananana, no!” PBG chanted, planting his hands over my ears. “There’s nothing wrong with missing my girlfriend, okay? You two are just jealous because you haven’t gotten any yet.”

“Whoa,” Satch chuckled. “Low blow from Peebs.”

"I _meant_ girlfriends.”

“Ech,” Jon intoned. “I ain’t got time for romance what with all my work at the theater.”

“AND NEVER GETTING SOME,” Jacques added. Jon promptly pinched his fingers around the bird’s beak.

“Who’s side are you on anyway?” Jacques wiggled in protest.

 I lifted a hand and coughed into it, hoping the interruption might change the subject. At the rate it was going, I was worried PBG and my own relationship status would be called into question and rampant teasing would begin about how we had not ‘sealed the deal’ yet. Despite the fact I was a more open person these days I still wasn’t ready to discuss _that_.

“We’re all still up for the convention next weekend, right?” I asked. Everyone at the table nodded and the excitement over the event began to prevail over any of the other conversations going on. Phew. Quick thinking, self.

Mai shot me a look and then bobbed her eyebrows, but kept quiet. Okay, maybe I hadn’t entirely dodged the bullet, but at least she wasn’t saying anything at the table. I’m sure I would get an earful about the fact PBG and I were sharing a room this time later.

“Speaking of conventions…”

“This again already?”

“What? What again? I didn’t even say about the thing that I wasn’t even going to talk about,” PBG rambled.

I sighed.

“I was just gonna say that I’m really excited because they’re releasing a new Harvest Noon game and will be featuring it at the con.”

Oh. Was that all?

“Really?” I asked, still a little skeptical. “That’s that farming game series you really like, right?” 

“Yeah! It’s been a long time since a new one was released so I’m really looking forward to seeing the new features in action!” 

“But is that all it is? I mean… Farming?” I asked. For a moment PBG looked as though something inside his brain had shorted. 

“It’s not _just_ farming. It’s about _family_ , Hana. And _chickens_.” 

For such a simple sounding game, whenever it was brought up he sure sounded _serious_. I might have worried about inadvertently insulting something he clearly loved, but he was still very understanding of my ‘naivete’ when it came to some games. I don’t think I’d ever quite ‘get’ the depth of some of The Normal Boots members' passions towards their individual gaming preferences. I really enjoyed my puzzle games, and the strategy games seemed sort of interesting so far, but I was still nowhere near on the same level of fandom as these guys. I wondered if I’d ever feel so dedicated. 

“That’s it. I’ve suffered this injustice and I can’t suffer it no more!” PBG declared, hopping up from his chair with a clenched fist. 

“So you _can_ suffer it,” Satch said. When PBG looked at him with a puzzled expression, he added, “Double negative becomes a positive.” 

“The _point_ is, Hana,” he emphasized, turning his eyes on me. “ _Y_ _ou_ are going to finally play a Harvest Noon game!” 

“Okay, sure. But when?” 

“Right no-” 

“We’re in the middle of the school day, dude,” Shane pointed out. 

“...ooooaafter classes!” Were it not for the fact he knew I wouldn’t skip class to play games, I’m sure PBG would have honestly suggested we bail then and there. He never really cared much for school in the first place, but for a student running on scholarships like yours truly, ditching was simply not an option. 

“I guess that’s okay, but we have a paper due soon and I really should -” 

PBG dropped to his knees in front of me, grasping my hands. The drama of it startled me and I immediately felt a rash of heat crawling up my neck into my face. He looked so incredibly desperate and his eyes were so soulful and pleading, I wasn’t sure what I expected to come out of his mouth next.

“Pleaaaase, Hana. We can write the paper tomorrow!” 

“On a _Saturday_ ? You’re going to do schoolwork _on a Saturday_?” 

“Yes, sure, whatever you want. But you have to play Harvest Noon before the convention so you can know just how amazing they really are before we see the new one together!” His voice dropped into a whisper and he scooted a fraction closer. “It’ll be _magical_ .”

“I think you’re weirding her out,” Jon said, though his tone implied this show was nothing new to him. 

What could I say? I’d never seen him so insistent about anything in a long time. Plus, I always had a _really_ hard time saying ‘no’ when he looked at me like that, much less all knelt down on the floor as though he was begging for my mercy. I began to nod furiously. 

“Alright, alright!” I hissed. “Just get up! People are starting to stare!”  
  
“Yeah!” he exclaimed, triumphant as he hopped to his feet again. I hid my face in my hands to wait for the blushing to subside.


	2. Bluebird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hana discovers the charm of Harvest Noon.

PBG’s excitement hadn’t waned one bit since that morning. If anything, every minute closer we got to class letting out seemed to fuel his restlessness. It began with all his usual twitches - scratching at the back of his neck, brushing his hair back only to have the tousled strands fall back into his face, the occasional deep, full-bodied sigh. Fifteen minutes to go and his knee was bobbing up and down and he’d started drumming his pencil upon his desk. Miss Shizuka demanded he stop making such a racket during her lecture or she’d make us all stay late.

No doubt he felt the weight of thirty warning glares keenly, becoming as still as a statue.

But as soon as the bell rang, signaling our freedom, it was as though all the energy he’d had to bottle up in those last unbearable seconds sprang forth, launching him from his chair so quickly it nearly toppled. I barely had a chance to gather all my things before he’d snapped up my hand in his own, grinning practically a mile wide.

“Sorrycan’tstayandchatshe’llbebacklaterbutnottoolateokayMaiIpromise-bye!” PBG somehow managed to cram into one breath before he tugged me along, leaving Mai and a few other students reeling in the wake of our departure.

We’d sped through the hall and down the stairs, straight through the doors before he and his long-legged stride finally slowed. I was almost entirely out of breath and tugged weakly on his hand to indicate I really needed a few seconds to recover.

“Ah, geez, are you okay?” he asked, crouching and resting a hand upon my back as I bent over, hands on my knees. I loved the guy, but I think sometimes Peebs was a little absent-minded. When he got swept up in something it was like he turned into a little boy all over again - eyes on the prize. One thing he often seemed to forget was that, even though he had sprouted into a tall, athletic young man, I was still a short, petite, and fitness-challenged young lady, especially when it came to flying down stairs. I just could not keep up.

Well, at least he had remembered to let me walk on my own two feet. The last time something like this happened, he’d picked me up princess-carry and toted me all the way through campus. It was sweet and all, but immensely embarrassing for me at the time.

“Fine… Just...catching my breath,” I said, standing upright and resting a hand upon my chest.

“Sorry, I’m just really happy I’m going to finally get to share this with you,” he said sheepishly, his sentiment ensuring I would not be cross with him for long, if at all.

“I know,” I said with a small smile. “But the game isn’t going anywhere. We can take our time getting to the dorms. A nice, leisurely walk, yeah?”

“Yeah, that works,” he said, boyish smile back full-force again. “My lady.” Offering his elbow, I gave a light laugh and rested my hand inside it.

This was much better, I thought as my heart settled back into a more pleasant rhythm. It still had a tendency to leap time to time when I noticed anyone looking at us, but I wouldn’t say that was a bad thing. For all my personal growth, there were still instances where my old inclinations popped up. PDA, for example, though still not my favorite thing, was tolerable as long as it was modest. PBG had been wonderfully understanding about this. He, too, was a little shy about being overly affectionate in public, and we both agreed that keeping our most intimate moments between us was ideal.

And really, I doubted either of us ever wanted to share.

You wouldn’t know it by the way he acted, but I was pretty sure he might have had a bit of a jealous streak running through him. There hadn’t been much cause for it to show, but there were times when we were around others that he’d make this face...something between a pout and a scowl, that made me wonder.

Not that he ever had anything to worry about. Even if anyone had any interest in me, I was and had always been thoroughly blind to it. Mai could attest to that much and never hesitated to tease me about it when we reminisced about how PBG and I had become a couple.

“So,” I gently filled the silence between us. “What sort of new features is the game going to have?”

He lit up like a lightbulb.

“Oh! Well, in the games you can typically raise animals and horses and things, and they can have babies, right? In this one, you can specifically choose which horses or cows or sheep or whatever you want to breed. So it’s kind of like the Kocobo Farm in Last Fantasy VII! And if you breed the right horses you can even get a unicorn, I’ve heard!”

I nodded, though a lot of the information flew straight over my head as it always tended to do.

“Why would you want a unicorn on a farm, though?” I asked, doing my best to be involved.

“Why wouldn’t you want a unicorn?” he prodded, incredulous. “Rumor has it, it can teleport, which makes travelling soooo much easier. And it can magically make any crop of the highest quality for maximum return on money!”

I squinted, brow furrowing a little.

“The point of the game is to make the most money, then?”

“What? No,” he shook his head vigorously, tousling his hair upon his head. “I mean… it doesn’t hurt, but it’s not the main goal or anything.”

“So how do you win, then?”

He laughed then, which might have come off more condescending had I not known him as well as I did. It wasn’t a laugh that came at my expense, or my lack of knowledge on the game. Just genuine amusement.

Even so, I couldn’t help making a face, which got him to stop pretty quickly.

“There’s nothing to win. And no one to win against. It’s just…,” he gestured vaguely with his free hand. “It’s just something you play to feel good. I play it when I’m having a bad day sometimes, or if I want to take it easy. It’s like...uhm...like.”

He scratched at his head, trying to find an appropriate comparison. I smiled as I watched him. I couldn’t help it, it was funny the faces he made when he got stuck like that.

“Maybe like reading a book?” I offered.

“Yeah! Like that kinda, but better, because you’re part of it!” he said, withdrawing from me long enough to open the door to Bluebell Hall.

“It sounds nice, but I guess I’m a little surprised.”  
“Why’s that?” he asked as we walked down the hall towards the stairs to head to the floor where he and Jon resided.

“Well, everyone in Normal Boots seem so competitive and with the tournaments and everything, I figured all the games you played would be...well, intense.”

“I guess I can see what you mean,” he said, thoughtful. “We do get pretty amped up. But it’s not all about high scores and bragging rights. As club members, that is something we focus on because we participate in tournaments, but it’s not like we don’t enjoy all types of games.”

I suppose that was true. I had seen the guys play all sorts of games, including card and board games during their free time. I’d played one of those once or twice, though a lot of them were still very complex. Nothing at all like the board games I remembered playing as a kid.

When we reached his room, PBG opened the door to let me in. Jon wasn’t there yet. Considering how quickly we’d bailed out of the classroom, I couldn’t be terribly surprised. More often than not, Jon spent the earlier hours after class in the theater, or hanging out with the other Normal Boots guys.

I can’t say that I’d been very disappointed about his constant absence, as horrible as that sounds. It wasn’t Jon, himself...but with him gone we--

My face was starting to burn already as some memories trickled, unbidden, into my head.

Luckily, PBG was too distracted with his quest to properly introduce me to Harvest Noon to notice. He was already down on the floor, inspecting his collection of games inside the small television stand. He was murmuring to himself, withdrawing cases and comparing them in his hands. I moved to take a seat on the sofa to wait.

“Everything okay?” I asked as he continued to deliberate, mostly to get my own mind back onto the matter at hand and away from my less than innocent thoughts.

“Yeah. I’m just trying to figure out which one would be best to begin with,” he said.

“They don’t have a specific order?”

“Nah. I mean there’s release date order, but each game is its own thing. Just gotta decide which would make the best first impression.”

Crawling down to sit beside him, I looked at the various games he’ll pulled out. I had no idea there was so many, and for so many different consoles! No wonder he was having a hard time choosing one.

“Um… What about this one?” I asked, plucking up the title that was labeled for the Oui. I’d become pretty familiar with the controls on the Oui-mote while playing my puzzle games, so I hoped that might help make learning the function of the game a little easier. Besides that, this one had different animals on the cover. Where the others had mostly farm creatures, this one featured ones you’d be more likely to find in a zoo or a circus. “Do you raise lions and giraffes in it?”

PBG looked over and smiled, getting that amused glint in his eyes again.

“No, but they’re part of a circus in town so you can befriend them. That’s ‘Animal March’, one of the more recent ones. Wouldn’t be a bad place to start.” He gave a shrug and took the game from me, popping the disc into the Oui before retrieving the controller for me.

When we finally got comfortable and I started to play, I began to realize something about Harvest Noon.

It was cute. Like, ridiculously cute.

I hadn’t given much thought to all the plushes of animals that PBG kept in his room, but I remember mentioning how adorable I thought they were. He had wholeheartedly agreed and at the time it had surprised me. Here I had thought that Jirard was the only one comfortable with keeping something labeled as ‘cute’ in his room and yet PBG did it too. For some reason I had never connected them with the Harvest Noon games, despite knowing that they were one of his favorites.

The human characters were the same way, small with large eyes and charming outfits. Not to mention the little harvest sprites!

Although I was still a bit confused how a game like this fit in with all the others I’d seen PBG play, I found it exceedingly easy to get into. And the moment I planted my first tomato and saw it grow, I felt a strange sense of pride. It wasn’t even a real plant!

PBG did his best to hold back, but I could tell he really wanted to instruct me on everything. For the most part he sat, quiet and patient, as I explored the game-world on my own, trying this and that. He only ever dropped hints when it was clear I’d gotten stuck somewhere, and his joy when I discovered something was clear and infectious.

Before I knew it, I’d completely lost track of time, wrapped up in my own little farming world, trying to help my neighbors while making my own land flourish. It was just starting to get dark outside, an hour before curfew, when Jon finally returned to the room and I floated back to reality.

“Oh my gosh, is it really that late?” I exclaimed, scrambling to my feet to grab my backpack. At some point during all this, my feet had apparently decided to fall asleep from having my legs crossed so long, so I stumbled a little in the process, all pins and needles in my toes. “Ah-ah!”  
“Whoa, careful!” PBG said, steadying me. “Whoops! Forgot to mention how easy it is to play these games for hours.”

“No kidding,” I agreed, hobbling towards the door. I had my hand on the latch just as someone cleared their throat. Jon stood there behind me, my shoes dangling from his fingers.

“Might want these,” he pointed out and I gasped, grasping them and then hurrying to shuffle them on. I’d almost run out on the campus in my socks! I must have looked pretty hilarious in my rush to get back because I heard both PBG and Jon chuckling at my antics.

“Okay, that’s enough,” I said grumpily. “Hurry up and get your shoes on too, Peebs. You’re walking me home.”

PBG’s eyes went wide briefly before he scrambled to find his sneakers. Jon whistled as he moved towards his computer desk.

“Guess we know who wears the pants, don’t we Jacques?”

“EVERYONE BUT ME.”

“S’not what I meant.”

“I WANT PANTS,.JON.”

“D’you know how hard it was to make a tiny jacket? I’m not making you pants.”

“I AM A SAD PANDA.” 

The two of them continued to banter in the way they often did, but I didn’t heard the rest of the conversation as PBG caught up and we made our exit.

“So what did you think?” he asked as we strolled down the empty walkway back towards the girl’s dorm.

“It’s fun! I can see why you like it so much,” I said. My reaction seemed to put him over the moon.

“I knew you’d enjoy it! When I get back I’ll save your game...if you wanna keep playing, that is.”

“Yeah, definitely! Oh, darnit! I was just in the middle of buying chickens too!” I lamented.

“No worries, no worries. I got ya covered. And hey! I actually grabbed this for you to look at in the meantime!” he said, pulling a magazine out from underneath his arm. I hadn’t even seen him grab it, I’d been so distracted by the exchange between Jon and Jacques.  
“What is it?

“There’s a feature in here that tells you a bit more about the game and what you can do in it. I thought you might find it interesting now that you’ve started playing yourself.”

I took the magazine gingerly from his grasp and flipped it open to a place he’d bookmarked. It was filled with a bunch of colorful Harvest Noon illustrations and tips and facts about the elements in the gameplay. I was actually pretty eager to read it so I could learn how to produce even better crops!

I tucked the magazine carefully into my backpack so I could give PBG my full attention as he walked me back to my room. The halls were already deserted and quiet, a fact which made my heart race a little because I knew what was coming next.

We paused in front of my door, talked about what we planned to do tomorrow…idle things for the most part. Then, as it always happened, things were still between us, and all it took was finding the courage to lift my gaze to his for that familiar blush to burn across my face.

That look. That one he reserved just for me when we were alone, was plain as day on his face. It held a fondness, a tenderness, tinged with something...deeper, and all at once I felt a swell of a similar sensation within myself.

I never knew how quickly it happened, or when exactly either of us moved, but the next thing felt was his lips on mine, my eyes closed, his hands relaxed at my waist. It always felt like it lasted forever - the warmth, his breath - and not long at all.

I was comforted by the fact I was not the only one who was red in the face when we parted. No doubt I always looked breathless. PBG always looked like he’d just stolen the last cookie out of the cookie jar.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said and I nodded, giving him a small wave before opening the door to my room.

Mai was already asleep, oddly enough, but I seemed to recall she mentioned something about practice in the morning, so it made sense. I was just glad to be able to slip into bed peacefully so I could read a little of the magazine article before going to sleep.

There was so much more to this game than I originally expected! There were mini-games, story events, relationships, and you could even get married and have children! PBG was right when he said it was about family. It appeared as though each player had their choice of a few bachelors or bachelorettes that they could give gifts to to show their affection. What a sweet thing to include in a game! I pondered who PBG had chosen to marry, turning a tad bashful as I noticed one of the girls had bright pink hair, just like mine.  
I had just begun to read about Harvest Noon weddings when I ended up dozing off, the magazine draped over my chest.

That night, I dreamed of working out in field, picking strawberries, and riding horses.

There were bluebirds singing in the trees.

I’d always loved bluebirds.


	3. The Next Logical Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hana is tired of being the friend who mooches off of everyone else. She wants to get a job! And what's this about cosplay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments, you guys!
> 
> I have no idea how much of this is drivel and how much is actual story, it just happens as it happens. ;)
> 
> Hope you (continue) to enjoy!

The next morning found PBG and I heading on an early train to Higanbana for breakfast. Although Asagao offered all basic meals on campus, it had become a bit of a routine for us to spend Saturday mornings in town. We would stop by our favorite cafe for a bite to eat and then venture to the nearby strip to do some window shopping.

Well, _I_ did the window-shopping. PBG usually just dashed straight into the gaming store and emerged with no less than two titles in his possession. Yours truly was still not familiar with such luxuries, even if her boyfriend insisted he would lavish his own upon her. I had a little bit a pride I still wanted to hold on to, as much as I appreciated the sentiment behind his gifts.

I had only somewhat been able to endure the fact he paid for our breakfast more often than not, and while I knew he’d probably pay simply because he felt it was the way it ought to be, I couldn’t help but feel that familiar twinge of being _lesser than_ . Everyone always brushed off my concerns. It was easy enough for them to do. I knew most of my friends would probably be just as generous even if they didn’t have a nice, cushy fund to fall back on, but it still _bugged_ me.

I couldn’t help it. For all the things that we had in common these days, our social standing was still very much ever-present, especially at times like this. And instances where, for example, my full-weekend convention passes were bought and paid for out of someone else’s pocket, and I’d meekly promise to pay them back as soon as it were possible. I kept tally of every debt I ever thought I owed, though I was certain that not a one of them would ever call my integrity for keeping things even and fair into question. 

Don’t get me wrong, I did my best to not dwell on it. The trouble was it _always_ came up somewhere. 

It happened again that morning as I watched PBG pay for my usual almond glazed croissant and hot tea. I’d gone to claim our usual seat at the table near the window and my eyes caught a glimpse of the sign. The cafe was hiring. 

My initial thought was: It’s a sign (well, yeah, it’s a sign, Hana, don’t be stupid), but I mean a SIGN. I could get a part time job here and finally be able to pay everyone back! And for once I could pay for my own extracurricular activities! 

My second thought was: _You?_ A waitress? Working around _breakable_ things and behind a counter where you would likely burn, cut, and _maim_ yourself? Right. 

Yeah… That whole personal insecurity thing? I still had that going pretty good, even if I’d managed to get past a lot of my worries. 

But, as always, PBG had impeccable timing - it was as though he could sense when I was starting to fret - and a the little plate with the warm pastry and my cup of tea was soon set in front of me, pulling my attention home again. 

“Thanks,” I said with a smile as he sat across from me with his breakfast sandwich and coffee. 

“What’s up?” 

I blinked in surprise, straightening up in my seat with my croissant in hand, confused at his question. He’d only left me alone for about five minutes and -- oh. Oh, right. I was easier to read than a child’s alphabet book. 

“I was just thinking about getting a job,” I said quietly, tugging a morsel from the pastry, but I didn’t eat it right away. I let my gaze linger on it, unsure of looking at PBG as I brought the subject up. Like everyone else, I assumed he would brush it off; tell me not to worry about it. 

“Really?” he replied, tone sounding surprised enough that I had to look up. “I was totally thinking the same thing! Well, not for you, I mean…” His features started to scrunch up, red flush crawling over the bridge of his nose and cheeks as he suspected how bad that might sound. I couldn’t help but smile a little more when he floundered like that. It reminded me I wasn’t the only one who gave things more weight than really was necessary. “A job for me, but, ya know, totally for _you_ in a way because, I mean, I’d _totally_ support you because that’s what you’re supposed to do when--when--you--” 

“Peebs,” I said calmly, abruptly halting his rambling. He froze, as if stuck in time, mouth agape. I reached out with my free hand to pat his. “Breathe.” 

He took a deep inhale, and then released the breath slowly.

“I know what you meant. But why _do_ you want to get a job?” I asked, genuinely curious. “I thought your tuition was already taken care of.” 

“Well, yeah,” he said, eyes darting to the side as though the concept didn’t exactly thrill him. “But I’m gonna have to make it on my own eventually and what better time to break the chains than now? I dunno what’s gonna happen once we graduate.” He shrugged, picking up his sandwich. 

“Mmm,” I hummed in agreement with a nod. I hadn’t actually thought that far ahead, preoccupied with paying what I owed today. Who knew what obligations tomorrow would hold? I had to admit, with a mixture of embarrassment and shame, that I hadn’t expected PBG to be thinking so responsibly...so _ahead_ of me. It wasn’t that I thought he was a slacker...really… But with the way he shirked his duties at school sometimes, cutting classes (though that habit had waned since we started dating), he didn’t put off the _best_ vibe. Could it be he was thinking about his future all along?

And here I was, blinders on, focus narrow. Granted, it was hard _not_ to concentrate on what was right in front of me instead of two or five years down the line. 

“Why do you want to get a job?” 

Crap. I couldn’t possibly tell him the _real_ reason, could I? I wasn’t sure I could stand the coddling right now. 

“I, um...I want to be able pay for my cosplay all by myself!” 

Did I really just say that? 

Yes, yes, I did, if PBG’s face was any indication. He was practically _glowing_. 

Ever since we decided to attend the gaming convention this year, he’d been trying to get me to warm up to the idea of cosplaying with him. My skepticism had been quite clear, I’m sure, but I had told him I’d think about it and then I promptly went and did my research. The result ended with me having no particular inclinations either way. The costumes people made were cute, intricate, and sometimes downright jaw-droppingly detailed, but that didn’t mean I was ready to run out and start participating. The only time I’d worn a costume was Halloween, and even then I’d missed out the last few years because I thought I’d outgrown trick-or-treating and my circle of friends had been - well - nonexistent. 

Not to mention it seemed as though cosplayers got an _awful_ lot of attention from con-goers. I...still wasn’t too sure about that. 

I had hoped that maybe with this fixation on Harvest Noon, PBG might eventually just let the whole cosplay thing fall to the wayside, but here I’d gone and sabotaged myself. I couldn’t possibly backtrack now, or else he’d be pouting for weeks. 

“You wanna do it?” he asked, leaning on the table, rapt with attention. 

I tucked my hands in my lap, trying to avoid his eyes lest he see I was fibbing. 

“...Yes?” I offered and suddenly he was on his feet, chair making a loud screech as it pressed out behind him. 

“YEAH!” 

I shielded my face from the other cafe patrons. 

“PBG…” 

“Yeah? Oh! Sorry!” he said, immediately sinking back down into his seat, a small blossom of red returning to his face. It wasn’t enough to stop his excitement, though. 

“That’s awesome, Hana! I think you’ll look _amazing!_ ” he said in a hushed tone. 

“You don’t know that,” I said with a crooked smile. “I don’t even know what we’re cosplaying!” 

He snapped his fingers. 

“Harvest Noon characters, of course!” he said. “To celebrate the new game!” 

“But we don’t even know what characters are _in_ the game ye-” 

PBG wasn’t looking at me anymore. I don’t think he was even listening. He was smiling broadly as he scrolled through his phone. 

_Oh. Of course. Of course, he would already know the details of the new game._

“Tada!” he said, setting the phone down on the table and nudging it over to me. I stopped hiding and reached over to take a look. “ _That’s_ who I wanna go as. His name is Elias and he’s an adventurer!” 

I looked down at the character concept art, at Peebs, and back again. Good grief, the similarity in those beaming grins was uncanny, at least. Elias looked a bit like a pirate, if you asked me which...actually kind of suited PBG now that I thought about it. 

“And if you scroll down a bit, you can see the girls. You can be any of them you want!” he said, drumming his fingertips on the table. It was as though he was waiting for something. I continued to look through the characters, trying not to let the _rap-tap-tapping_ get to me. As to be expected of the art style, all the girls were adorable and well-designed. None of them really struck me as something I could pull off and I was starting to feel like I’d really shot myself in the foot until...

I paused. 

Pink hair.

Long, beautiful, flowing, rosy _pink_ hair. 

My lips parted as it dawned on me what PBG had had in mind all along. This character was the _Flower Goddess,_ much like the Goddess I’d been reading about from _Animal March_ . She was striking, beautiful and elegant, draped in a wispy dress with floating sashes. Aside from our shared hair-color, though, this was _so_ not me. 

My boyfriend, however, apparently had a different opinion. When I lowered the phone, his teeth were digging into his lower lip, willing himself not to let his anticipation burst forward. 

“Peebs…” 

“What? What? You can be any of them! _Any_ of them! I know - there’s a lot to choose from!” His hands flew to grasp mine, holding the phone in our mutual grasp like some talisman. Curse him! He knew I was far less to argue when there was physical contact! 

...His hands were so warm… 

And the look in his eyes was just so...damn... _passionate_! Agh! 

Quickly, I could feel the fight going out of me. Not that I could deny it now, since I’d made cosplay the whole _point_ of wanting to get a job. Smart move, Hana!

I laughed wearily. 

“Yeah. It’s going to be a hard decision to make. Oh my gosh, I am so torn.” 

Did he buy it? I didn’t think I sounded very convincing, but maybe Peebs was too far gone into his own happiness he wouldn’t notice. 

Then, I thought of something. 

“Oh… But I only have a week before the convention and I’m not terribly good at sewing.” I pursed my lips together, lamenting. “There’s no way I could make one, much less _two_ costumes by next weekend!” 

“Bah,” PBG scoffed, releasing me and leaning back with one arm casually hanging over the back of his chair. He looked far too unconcerned about what I felt was an honest-to-goodness predicament. “Don’t you worry about that. I’ve had my costume done for _months_.” 

_Oh. Of course you did._

“And Jared is a _master_ with this stuff. He can _totally_ help you make a costume in time!” 

_Oh. Of course. Jared. Fashion-show, D &D costumer Jared… Ha ha… _

“I told you, Hana. PBG has _always_ got you covered!” he said, jabbing his thumb in his own direction. So proud, so undeterred. 

There was no going back now.


End file.
